Top Five Causes of Divorce

You may be surprised to learn that in 2009, New York had among the lowest divorce rates in the nation. According to an NBC report, 8.4 percent of New York residents are divorced—the third lowest rate in the United States and over two points lower than the national average of 10.7 percent. The reason for this is simple economics.

Financial difficulties are among leading causes of divorce in the United States. For that reason, areas particularly hard hit by the recession tend to see a spike in the divorce rate. While still feeling the impact of the economic downturn, New York has fared better than many other areas. This may at least partially explain the low divorce rate.

But marriage is a complicated thing. What causes one to fail can be equally complicated. Some common causes such as infidelity and abuse are fairly obvious. Others are not so clear. Communication problems routinely top lists of common causes of divorce. These can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, from an inability to articulate and reconcile each other’s priorities to difficulties compromising on important issues like child rearing.

Another common cause of divorce is simply loss of interest. This is often a factor for couples who marry too young or after too brief a courtship. Once the initial excitement fades, it gives way to boredom and even resentment. These feelings can ultimately undermine a marriage.

Whatever the cause of your divorce, you need tough legal support to fight for your rights and help ensure a brighter future.